This patient came to see us after breaking his tooth while playing football. He brought the broken piece with him. I was able to use the combination of the broken piece and composite (tooth-colored) bonding to repair this tooth. If I didn’t show you the picture, would you have known which tooth broke?

There is a difference!

The inability to tell that the tooth was broken in the first place is the true sign of mastery. This repair was done in 45 minutes. The patient and his parents were both relieved and pleased with this great result.

Most offices would have done a root canal, post and crown. I used a very conservative approach which was the most appropriate choice for this young patient. Might this patient need a root canal, post or crown in the future? ….Yes, it is a possibility. But putting it off for as long as possible is better for the overall health of the tooth and ultimately the patient! And there is always the possibility that the tooth won’t need any further treatment!

This patient and her family had left the practice to go to a dentist who “took their insurance” in order to save money. When this young patient left, she was decay free and dentally healthy. In fact, she had only had one very small, single-surface filling in her life. Six months later she went to the “new” dentist. The “new” dentist found multiple areas of “deep” decay and treatment planned them for large fillings. The patient returned to their office and had 2 large composite (tooth-colored) fillings on the upper right. She immediately began to have pain. She returned multiple times to have them adjusted. The adjustments did not resolve the discomfort, so the dentist decided to remove the composite fillings and replace them with silver (amalgam) fillings. The pain still did not resolve. More than a year later, the patient was still having discomfort. Her dentist told her that she was “acting like a girl and to toughen up.” The parents and the patient had had it and called our office for help. Frustrated and still in pain, she returned to our office to have me evaluate the area.

The photo and x-ray on the left are how the patient presented to our office for her evaluation. The silver fillings were only a few months old and were chipping out and the contact was very tight, so much so that the patient couldn’t get floss between them. Plus, the teeth were sensitive to cold and biting. She also reported sensitivity to the gums on the left side because she hadn’t been able to chew on the right side for more than a year. In addition, the teeth were mobile because she was hitting heavily on them. It should be noted that this patient has excellent dental hygiene. The photo and x-ray on your right represent the final fillings I did for this patient. She now reports that “her teeth have never felt better.”

There is a difference!

First of all, a dentist should only do what actually needs to be done. Second, the work should be done well with the intention of it lasting and not failing. A dentist should never being doing unnecessary or poor treatment based on the production they need to make for signing on with a PPO. Third, it is not normal for pain and discomfort to continue after having a filling. Finally, telling any patient: “you’re acting like a girl and toughen up” is deeply inappropriate and as uncaring as you can get. I listen to my patients, recommend only what the patient needs, and take all the time I need to do the work well. That is a big difference!

The Testimonial:

“A couple of years ago, I was overwhelmed with the rising cost of college tuition and all other things. I decided to take my family to a dentist who was a participating provider in my insurance plan. We went to another local dentist. Biggest mistake of my life! While most of us just got cleanings, my daughter was told she needed two fillings. She had nothing but problems once they were drilled and filled. The dentist told her that she was acting like a girl and to “toughen up”. She went back to Dr. Giordano and after a few visits, her teeth are fine again. She suffered for two years. We all went back to Dr. Giordano!! He is a great dentist.”

– E.S. Endwell, N.Y.

This patient wanted her spaces on the top and bottom closed. She was embarking on a new career and wanted a smile that could make her feel confident. I used a combination of in- office whitening and composite (tooth-colored) bonding. I then free-hand sculpted filling material on four of the front teeth to achieve the beautiful smile you see on your right.

There is a difference!

It takes a great deal of artistic skill to sculpt well. It’s necessary to have abundant patience, as well as skill when performing dental work. My abilities and attention to detail are clearly represented here. Note the perfect shade matching, shaping of the teeth, the closure of the spaces, smooth edges and balanced bite. All of this attention to detail ensures not only that the teeth look beautiful the day that they are done, but that they remain beautiful for many years to come. The patient has been able to keep her smile healthy because she has been able to floss and brush well. The result: A smile that was completed more than 12 years ago that has required no additional maintenance in order to remain beautiful.

This patient presented to our office with the smile on your left. She was very unhappy with her smile. Combining whitening, crowns, composite (tooth-colored) fillings, and artistic skill, I was able to give her the beautiful smile on your right.

There is a difference!

I understand how much a beautiful and healthy smile can mean to someone. It’s what people will notice first. It’s hard to feel good about yourself when you are embarrassed to smile. Giving someone the ability to smile is like giving a gift. Their whole face just lights up! I also feel that it is important that dental work be done well so it can last for many years. This smile was created more than 11 years ago and is still just as beautiful today.